Egg carton filler machine



Nov. 3, 1931. E. J. KANABAY EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 3, 1931. J. KANAKBAY EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 3, 1931.

E. J. KANABAY 1,830,064 EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8, 1929 12 Sheefs-Sheet 3 E. J. KANABAY Nov. 3, 1931 EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8. 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 3, 1931. E. J. KANABAY EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE 12 She ets-Sheet 5 Filed April 8. 1929 Nov. 3, 1931, E, KANABAY 1,830,064

EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8. 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 W L Q Nov. 3, 1931. E. J. KANABAY EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8. 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 'Nov. 3, 1931. E, J, KANABAY 1,830,064

EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8, 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 I .9- z 79 f? a mm Nov. 3, 1931, J. KANABAY EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 1 Filed April 8. 1929 I E.'J. KANABAY 1,830,064

EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8. 1929 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Nov. 3, 1931. E. J. KANABAY EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Filed April 8. 1929 12Sheets-S11Ieet 12 Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE E. JOSEPH KANABAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LEON BENOIT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS EGG CARTON FILLER MACHINE Application filed April 8, 1929. Serial No. 353,646.

This invention relates to egg carton filler machines, and its principal object is to provide an automatic machine for operating on long sheets of cardboard or other filler mate- I rial. and forming from said sheets notched strips that are assembled in the machine in the form of a tiller for cartons and having cells spaced apart by interlocking walls. Another object of the invention is to provide a f machine entirely automatic in its operation and acting to form the necessary notches in the edges of the material for obtaining the interlocking condition between the walls, and thereafter slitting or cutting the material into 151 the required number of pieces to form a complete tiller and assembling the pieces in interlocked condition.

Another object is to provide an automatic machine for producing egg carton fillers composed of interlocked longitudinal walls and cross walls and arranged to operate upon two long sheets or strips of cardboard or other filler material, moved parallel with each other part way through the machine, notching the sheets, slitting one of the sheets lengthwise to form strlps and cutting the other sheet transversely thereof to form cards or other strips and thereafterassembling the two sets ofnotched pieces into a complete filler having interlocked walls. Another object is to provide an automatic machine of rugged and substantial construction havinga capacity for turning out a great number of completed articles during a given time.

'ith these and other objects and advantages in view. this invention consists in a carton filler machine embodying notching mechanism, strip feeding mechanism, strip slitting mechanism. and assembling mechanism for assembling the notched pieces into a carton filler having notched interlocked walls. It further consists in a carton filler machine having mechanism whereby both of the long sheets are fed part way through the machine in parallel relation, one of the sheets being cut into strips or cards extending crosswise of the sheet, and the other sheet slit lengthwise thereof into separate strips, together with means for turning the strips of one set into parallel relation to each other,

and other means for turning the cards or strips of the other set into parallel relation at right angles to the strips of the first mentioned set, and finally assembling the two sets of notched strips to form a carton filler hav- 5 mg interlocked walls.

The invention further consists in'the several novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawlngs accompanying this specification in which-- Figure 1 is a plan of the receiving and punching end of the machine with certain portions broken away;

"Fig. 1 is a plan of the assembling end of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section, through the receiving and punching end of the machine, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in side elevation 7 and partly in vertical longitudinal section, of certain cam and cam actuating mechanism for the strip feeders and for actuating the assembling mechanism, the section being taken on the line 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the assembling mechanism seen in Fig. 1 with part of the frame broken away to illustrate parts that would otherwise be hidden from view;

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation, partly broken away, of one of the notched strips which comprise the longitudinal walls of an egg case filler constructed by the machine:

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of one of the notched cards which form the cross walls that interlock with strips of the kind shown in Fig. 5 to complete the carton filler;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a completed carton filler constructed by the machine;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical longitudinal section of the feeding device for one of the sheets, the line of section being indicated at Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the strip feeding device for the other sheet;

Fig. 10 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in vertical cross section, of certain card or strip transferring mechanism which forms part of the assembling mechanism, the line of section being indicated at 1010 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a detail vertical longitudinal section of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 10 and taken on the line 11 of Fig. 10 and 1111 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the same line as Fig. 11 of one of the strip transferring devices, and showing the parts occupying a position where the notched sheet has just been severed into strips;

Fig. 13 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 12, but illustrating the card or strip gripper in a position where the card or strip has been moved into an upright position;

Fig, 14 is a similar view, showing the cards or strip gripper in position where the card or strip is about to be transferred to the lower member of the assembling mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a similar view showing the card or strip gripper in a position occupied during its return tothe position seen in Fig. 11;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of certain members of the card or strip gripper actuating mechanism;

Fig. 17 is a view partly in side elevation b and partly in longitudinal section through one of the card or strip grippers, the line of section being indicated at 17-17 in Fig. 20;

Fig. 18 is a detail sectional view of the strip gripper shown in Fig. 17 with certain parts broken away and illustrating the parts in their position gripping a card or strip;

Fig. 19 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 1919 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 20 is an end elevation of the strip gripper shown in Fig. 17;

Fig. 21 is a detail plan of a fragment of the lower members of the assembling mechanism;

Fig. 22 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 22-22 of Fig. 21 and illustrating the final strip cutting mechanism;

Fig. 23 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 23 of Fig. 21, and illustrating certain rocking strip guiding members of the assembling mechanism;

Fig. 24 is a view similar to Fig. 23, but showing the strip guiding members in a different position;

Fig. 25 is a perspective View of the strip guiding members seen in Figs. 23 and 24;

Fig. 26 is a fragmental side elevation, partly in vertical section, of one of the strip guiding members seen in Figs. 23, 24 and 25, the line of section being indicated at 26 in Fig. 25;

Fig. 27 is an end elevation of the upper and lower members of the assembling mechanism illustrating the parts as they appear immediately prior to the final assembling operation;

Fig. 28 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism seen in Fig. 27;

Fig. 29 is a perspective view of a certain locking dog actuating bar;

Fig. 30 is a side elevation of a certain justifying mechanism for the card grippers;

Fig. 31 is a detail side elevation of a lockin dog actuating cam;

ig. 32 is a detail vertical cross section through the locking jaws of one of the gripper heads taken on the line 3232 of Fig, 17,

'and showing the same in the position occupied when the jaws are being opened to release the completed filler; and

Fig. 33 is a detail vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing a detent or dog used for preventing retrograde movement of one of the sheets of filler material.

The machine shown in the accompanying drawings illustrates one embodiment of the present invention, and will be described in detail in this specification. In order that the mechanism and the operations of the various parts thereof in producing the notched pieces and assembling them may be clearly understood, I shall first describe the notched pieces themselves and the filler formed there- Referring first to Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive, two series of interlocked notched cardboard pieces a and b comprise the filler formed by the machine. For convenience, the pieces a will be hereinafter designated as strips and the pieces 6 as cards. The strips a have oppositely disposed notches a and a punched out of the edge portions, thereby leaving web portions a between the notches. The end notches are placed in close proximity to the end edges of the strip and all of the notches are spaced equi-distantly. The cards I) have notches b extending inward from one of their edges, which notches receive the web portions a of the strips a in the finished filler.

The entrances to the notches b are preferably tapered, as seen in Fig. 6, to facilitate the insertion of the strips a into the notches 6 during the assembling operation of the machine, and one side edge of each notch b is formed with a shoulder 6 adjacent the edge of the strip, which shoulder engages with the end edge of the notch an of the strip a when the strips are completely assembled, thereby forming an interlocking connection between the intersecting strips and cards and preventing any possible disconnection between them. The opposite edge of each notch I) is formed with two oppositely inclined edge portions that provide a tongue 6 which enters the space above the shouldered portion 6 of the notch and acts to hold the web portions a ofthe strip a in interlocked condition between the upper end of the notch b and the shoulder 15. Ventilating openin 5 b may be formed in the body of the card as shown in Fig. 6. When assembled, the strips a extend parallel with each other and the cards b extend parallel with each other and at right angles to the strips a,with the web portion a received and held in the notches b. In the completed'carton filler the strips may be regardedfas longitudinal walls or partitions and the cards as cross walls.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the machine is intended'for the manufactured egg carton filler constructedas above described, although by slight variations and adjustments it may be altered to manufacture articles having intersecting walls of slightly different form. The machine illustrated embodies die press or punching mechanism at itsreceivmg end arranged topunch notches and slots in the -filler material, which, if desired,.may come from two rolls of filler material.

Beyond the punching mechanism is slitting or cutting mechanism which severs one of the long" sheets of material into the required number of notched strips to form the longitudinal walls of the carton filler, which stripsv are intermittently fed by suitable feed mechanism into the lower member of an assembling mebham'sm preparatory to being assembled with cards severed from the other long sheet of filler material. Feed mechanism is provided for this other sheet of filler material which. feed mechanism feeds said sheet to a co-acting upper member of the assembling mechanism that contains severing means for severing the sheet transversely into the required number of cards to make upthe cross walls of the finished articles, and said upper assembling mechanism is provided with gripper heads that grip the severed cards and turn them edgewise in parallel relation to each other extending at right angles to the strips, after which the upper member of the assembling mechanism raises the gripper heads and carries them, together with the notched cards gripped therein, across the notched strips and thereafter moves the cards down over the strips and into interlockingengagement therewith, after which the assembled portions of the strips are severed from the remainder of the strips and the upper member of the assembling mechanism is moved back to its initial position, during which time the completed egg carton filler, or other assembled article, is discharged therefrom and carried away by a conveyor.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference character C designates die press or punching mechanism of conventional form which is located at thereceiving notches and slots of the required configuration in two long sheets or strips of cardboard or other filler material A and B which may come from rolls of material (not shown) supported adjacent the machine.

The movable dies or punches 28 and 29 are carried by heads 30 and 31 guided upon suitable guide members of the press mechanism and connected to-the main drive or crank shaft 32 thereof by one or more connecting rods 33. The main drive and crank shaft 32 of the press mechanism is journaled in standards 34 which comprise elements of the press frame, and said main shaft 32 is driven from any suitablesource of power applied to a wheel 35 mounted on the shaft 32. The dies 28 are shaped to punch out notches and slots in the filler material Aof the configurations seen in Fig. 1', and the diesor punches 29 are shaped to punch out slots in the filler material B of the configuration, also seen in Fig.

1. During the slitting or cutting operation of the filler material, the notches and slots shown in the. filler material A and B subsequently become the notches a, a and b of the form illustrated in' Figs. 5 and 6, as will appear hereinafter.

ecured to the die press C, and extending from the lower dies 26 and 27 thereof, is a table 36 over which thel'punched filler material is fed towards the slitting and assembling mechanism. Mounted on said table 36 adjacent the punching dies is strip slitting mechanism D for the filler material A,-a simple form of which comprises disklike knives 37 mounted upon a shaft 38 extending transversely of the machine and carried by adjustable supporting means, such as links 39 and 40, depending from a knife supporting frame 41 mounted upon the table 36 (see Fig. 2). The knives 37 are adjustable towards and away from the table 36, as, for instance, by means of adjustment screws 42 mounted in'a hanger plate 43 carried by the knife supporting frame 41.

Below the knives37 is a roller 44 journaled upon a shaft 45 supported upon the underside of fthe table 36, and said roller 44 projects up through a slot in the table and engages with the underside of the filler material A. I The knives cut through the filler material as the latter is fed forward through v the machine, thereby slitting the filler mate- Fig. 1, thereby forming notched strips A having the opposing notches a and a in their opposite edges, as seen in Fig. 5. An edge trimming knife 37 may also be emplo ed.

. eyond the strip slitting mechanism D is the feed mechanism desi natedby E and E (see also Figs. 3, 8 and 9 which operates to intermittently feed the two long sheets of filler material through the machine. A'feed block or head 46 is provided for the strips A, which device is mounted to reciprocate 1ongitudinally upon the table 36,- and said feed block is formed with slots 47 throu h which extend the notched strips A. Said slots 47 incline slightly from the vertical, as seen in Fig. 9, and are arranged in pairs, those of each pair inclining towards each other. By this arrangement of the slots in the feed block 46, the slotted strips A are turned from a horizontal plane into inclined planes preparatory to being further turned into parallel upright planes during the assembling opera- I tion.

Spring pressed feed dogs 48 are mounted in the feed block 46, which dogs are provided with teeth that enter notches 1n the notched strips A when the feed block is moved forward, thereby advancing the notched strips, together with the remainder of the filler material A the required distance to provide strips having the require length of the carton filler.

The feed block 46 (see Fig. 8) for the filler material B is also mounted upon the table 36 for lengthwise movement thereon, and said feed block overlies the filler material B and is provided with spring pressed dogs 48 that have teeth upon their ends which enter notches of the filler material B when said feed blocks are moved forward, thereby advancing the filler material B the required distance. Spring compressed detents or dogs 129 and 129 (see Figs. 1 21 and33) locat ed adjacent the assembling mechanism and engaging in the slots of the filler material prevent retrograde movement of the filler material.

Mechanism is provided for reciprocating the feed blocks 46 and 46 in timed relation to the other operating parts of the machine, and, as shown, said mechanism comprises rocker arms 49 and 49 (see Fig. 3) connected to the feed blocks 46 and 46 by links 50 and b the operating struts 51 and 51. The sflaft 53 is j ournaled in suitable bearings carried 'by the framework G.

When the length of material necessar to form the longitudinal walls of a carton er or the like is less than that required to form the cross walls of the filler, the feed block actuating mechanism is arran ed to impart a longer stroke to the feed bloc 46 than the feed block 46, and this has been accomplished in the machine illustrated by making throw of the arm 49 greater than that of the arm 49. The cam is timed to feed the filler material forward during the intervals of inactivity of the punching'mechanism and assembling mechanism.

The'cam shaft 53 receives its motion from the main 'drive shaft 32 of the machine through power transmitting mechanism which may comprise an upright shaft 56 journaled in bearings carried by a framework of the machine and geared to the shaft 53 by intermeshing beveled pinions 57 and 58 on the ends of said shafts 53 and 56. On the upper end of theshaft 56 is a beveled pinion 59 which meshes with a beveled pinion 60 the fast on the end of the cam shaft 61 journaled in bearing brackets carried by the framework of the machine.

Upon one end of the cam shaft 61 is a gear wheel 62 which meshes with a gear wheel 63 fast upon a cam shaft 64 journaled in bearing brackets carried by the frame of the machine. A sprocket chain 65 trained over a sprocket wheel 66 (see Fig. 1) on the crank shaft 32 and a sprocket wheel 67 on the cam shaft 64 provides means for transmitting motion from the crank shaft 32 to the cam shaft 64. From the cam shaft 64 power is transmitted to the cam shaft 53 by the gearing described. Obviously, other equivalent power transmitting gearing may be substituted for the one shown for transmitting power from the crank shaft 32 to the several "cam shafts 53, 61 and 64. Beyond the feed mechanism is the assembling mechanism, indicated generally at F, in one part of which the filler material B is cut transversely to form the cards 5 that comprise the cross walls of the egg carton filler or other filler. The cards are thereafter assembled in another part of the assembling mechanism with the strips that comprise the longitudinal walls, thereby completing the article.

Referring now to Figs. 10 to 20, inclusive, at the end of the table 36 is a bed plate 68 which extends lengthwise of the machine with its upper face flush with the upper face of the table 36'. Thebed plate 68 is mounted upon a table or platform 69 supported upon the framework of the machine. Mounted in said bed plate, and movable lengthwise of the machine, are pairs of U-shaped gripper head guides 70, those of each pair being disosed opposite to each other and having feet 1 contained in slideways v72 formed 1n the upper face of the bed plate 68. The feet are retained in said slideways by plates or bars 73 and 74 secured to the bed plate and overhanging the slideways 7 2. There are as many pairs of U-shaped gripper head gu1des70 as there are cards employed in the article to be manufactured,'and in the operation of the machine, the filler material B is fed through the space between the opposing gripper head uides where it is' severed transversely 1nto the individual cards required for a complete article, and thereafter the cards are ri' ed b the ri er heads, as will be pres- Emit desdiibed? aha lifted and turned into vertical planes parallel with each other.

The gripper heads are seen at 75 and comprise separable gripping jaws 76 and 77 that are rotatably mounted in the downwardly projecting arms 7 8 of U-shaped gripper head carriers 78 which are slidably carried by a supporting bar 79 which is adapted to be r eciprocated transversely of the machine in transferring the cards to the lower member of the assembling mechanism. The supporting bar 79 is carried by an operating lever 80 which is oscillated transversely of the machine and also raised and lowered in the operation of transferring the cards from one station to another, as will be fully described hereinafter.

A swivel connection 81 is provided between the operating lever 80 and the supporting bar 79 (see Fig. 4) to permlt of the angular movements between the operating lever and supporting bar, and a horizontally extending stationary guide bar 82 (see Figs. 1 and 4) is provided above the end of the operating lever 80, which guide bar is formed wlth a groove or guideway 83 in its lower side in which travels a pin or roller 84 carried upon the upper end of the swivel connection 81 between the operating lever 80 and supporting bar 79. The guide bar 82'extendstransversely across the machine and is supported from the framework thereof. Said guide bar 82 operates to guide the card transferring mechanism to move in a straight line during its reciprocating movements from one side of the machine to the other.

During the interval of time that the filler material B is fed into the gripper heads of the assembling mechanism, the gripper head carriers 78 and therewith the gripper heads 75 are held stationary with the jaws of the gripper heads separated and occupying a position wherein the filler material may be fed through the spaces between the jaws. This position is clearly illustrated in 11. In the upper face of the bed plate 68 are grooves 85 spaced equi-distant and arranged to receive the jaws 77 of the gripper head with their upper sides flush with the top of the bed plate 68.

Along one side of the jaws 76 are secured knives 86 that co-operate with the flat sides of the other jaws 77 to cut or shear the filler material B into the individual cards I) after the filler material has been-fed into position between the jaws of the gripper heads, and mechanism is provided, as will be hereinafter described, for bringing the jaws 76 and 77 together, thereby severing the filler material into individual cards and gripping the cards between them. The upper face of the bed plate is notched, as shown, to permit the knives 86 to pass the sides of the aws 77 during the cutting or shearing operation. Means are provided for locking the jaws together after the card have been gripped, thereby holding the jaws in locked position until the carton filler has been completely assembled and is ready to be discharged from the machine.

The jaw 76 of each of the gripper heads is formed of two sections secured together, one of which is chambered to receive locking dogs 87, the ends 88 of which are arranged to enter notches 89 formed in one of the sections of the aw 76 (see Figs. 17 and 18). The locking dogs 87 are slidably mounted in recesses formed in the ends of the jaw 77 and move bodily with such jaw, but are capable of being moved endwise of themselves to effect a locking engagement between the two jaws.

The jaws are spring pressed away from each other by coiled compression springs 89 interposed between one of the sections of the jaws and the locking dog 87, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 17. The jaws of each gripper head are brought together by arresting the downward movement of the jaw 77 and continuing the downwardmovement of the jaw 76, and, as shown, the jaws 77 are provided with downwardly projecting pins 90 that enter sockets contained in the upper face of the bed plate 68, and steady the lower jaw 77 during the closing movement of the jaws. Downward movement of the jaws 76 from the position seen in Fig. 11, caused by a final downward movement of the operating lever 80 and gripper head carriers 78, effects the closing action of the jaws.

Means are provided for moving the locking dogs 87 into locking engagement With the jaw 76 of the gripper head, and, as shown, said means comprises notched reciprocatory lock actuating bars 91 (see 29) the notched bars 91 and thereby move the locking dogs 87 into engagement with the jaws 76 when the jaws 76 and 77 have been closed upon the cards. In the operation of the machine, the jaws remain closed until the egg case filler has been assembled and is ready to be discharged, whereupon the aws are opened by fingers 93 (see Figs. 10, 21 and 32) on the guide bars 116 for the gripper heads and having inclined faces which en age in the grooves 92 of the locking dogs an retract them, thereby permitting t e springs 89 to open the aws and release the completed egg case filler therefrom.

In addition to the springs 89 for opening the jaws 76 and 77, posltive means have been provided which may comprise spring pressed pins 89 (see Fig. 18) seated in recesses formed in the stationary jaws 76 and having inner ends adapted to be projected against the movable jaws 77 and other ends 89 protruding from the opposlte faces of the stationary jaws and arranged to be engaged by cam blocks 89 which are provided upon the guide bars 116 (see Figs. 21 and 32). The guide bars extend from the gripper head guides and over the lower member of the assembling mechanism and guide the gripper heads during their movement to and from the lower member of the assembling mechanism. The fingers 93 and cam blocks 89 are positioned below-the paths of movement of the locking dogs 87 and jaw opening pins 89 during the movement of the gripper heads toward the lower member of the assembling mechanism, but on the return movement of the gripper heads, the latter are depressed as they pass said fingers and cam blocks to thereby efi'ect the opening of the jaws.

As has been explained, the gripper heads are rotatably mounted in the downwardly projecting arms 78 of the gripper head carriers 78, and, for this purpose, the gripper heads are provided with trunnions 94 upon their ends that enter bearing apertures in said downwardly projecting arms. Adjacent their ends, the gripper heads are formed with gear segments 95 which are adapted to mesh with rack teeth 96 formed in one edge of the upright bar of the gripper head guides 70 during the upward movement of the gripper heads past said rack teeth, whereby said gripper heads are partially rotated. The gripper heads are also formed with flat faces 97 and 98 adjacent the gear segments, which straight faces are arranged to travel along the adjacent straight sides of the upright bars 70 and thereby hold the gripper heads from rotating except when the gear segments 95 encounter the rack teeth 96 during which interval the gripper heads are rotated through an arc of ninety degrees, bringing the cards gripped thereby into upright position, as seen in Figs. 10 and 14,

which is the position occupied by the cards when being assembled with the strips.

When forming a carton filler or other article in which the cross walls are of greater height than the distance between them, and in which the cross walls are cut from a long sheet or length of filler material, as in the present case, it is necessar to adjust the cards I), while held in the gripper heads, into positions corresponding with the distances etween the notches of the strips a, and this is accomplished by justifying mechanism, which will now be described.

The end gripper head guides 70 of the series are provided with downwardly extending lugs 99, to the forward lugs of which is connected a lever 100 (see also Fig. 4) fulcrumed upon the framework of the machine and operated by a cam 101 and a link or strut 102 having a roller 103 running in the cam groove 104 of the cam. The cam groove is designed to oscillate the lever 100 in timed relation to the other movements of the gripper heads. The end gripper head guides 70, during the justifying action, are moved towards each other sufiiciently to bring the endmost cards, carried by the gripper heads thereof, to a spaced relation identical with the distance between the endmost notches of the strips (1, whereby when the end cards are brought down across said strips, they will enter the endmost notches thereof.

For producing this relative. movement between the pairs of gripper head guides, rack bars 105 and 106 are connected to the end gripper head guides, which rack bars mesh respectively with two intermeshing gear wheels 107 and 108. In the operation of the machine, the reciprocating movements of the rack bars 105 imparted to it by the lever 100 are transmitted to the rack bars 106 through the instrumentality of the intermeshing gear wheels 107 and 108 and the endmost gripper head guides are thereby moved toward and away from each other.

For equalizing the distance between all of the gripper heads, the endmost gripper head guides are provided with means for moving the intermediate gripper head guides (with the exception of the middle one which is made stationary), and said means, as shown, comprises drag links 109 (see Fig. 16) each connected to an endmost gripper head guide as by a lug 110 entering a notch in the side of the end gripper head guides. The drag links slide in the grooves 72 of the bed plate 68 and have other lugs 111 and 112 thereon that enter elongated notches 113 and 114 in the other gripper head guides (see Fig. 1*). The notches in the gripper head guides and lugs of the drag links provide lost motion connections between the intermediate gripper head guides and the endmost ones enabling the endmost gripper head guides to move the intermediate ones the required guides equidistantly, the spacing being the same as the spacing of the notches in. the strips (15.. The lugs 111 and 112 engage with the ends of'the slots in the intermediate gripper head guides, the lug 111 first engaging the end of the slot in whichit travels and the lug 112 thereafter engaging the end of its slot, thereby moving the gripper head guides through the proper respective distances to, bring the gripper heads into spaced relation with the cards 6 spaced the same distance apart asthe notches in the strips (1.

If desired, drag links 109 (see Fig. 11), similar to the drag links 109, may be provided between the gripper head carriers 78 and bar 79 for effecting the justifying action between the gripper head carriers 78. The drag links 109 are slidably contained in grooves formed in thebar 79'and have lugs, as in the case of the drag links 109, entering notches in the ripper head carriers 78. Additional justifying means may be provided forthe grip-per head carriers 78, as shown in Fig. 30. The endmost gripper head carriers may be rovided with pins or rollers 78 adapte' to' Y formed in standards 78 'supp0rted on the travel in inclined grooves or guideways 78 frameworkof the machine. The grooves 7 8 are located so as to encounter the pins or rollers-78 at the instant that the lever 100 actuates the end gripper heads, as above explained, thereby aiding the primary justifying mechanism in adjusting the gripper head guides and gripper head carriers.

After the cards I) have been gripped in the gripper heads .76, and the latter raised and rotated to bring the cards into upright position, the gripper headsare moved across the machine to the lower member of the assembling mechanism and depressed tothereby assemble the cards with the strips to complete the carton filler. The operating lever 80 is actuated by certain cams, as will be hereinafter set forth, to move the gripper) head carriers and therewith the gripper heads from one position'to the other.

Adjacent the gripper head guides is a vertically slotted bar 115 (see Fig. 10) which extends lengthwise of the machine and is secured to the member 74. To the upper end of said slotted bar 115 are'secured the guide rails 116 which extend horizontally across the lower member of the assembling mechanism (see Figs. 1 and 27) and are supported at their outer ends by uprights or other'supports 116 that extend up from the table or platform 69. One of the side faces of each of the guide bars 116 is flush with a face of an upright member 7 0 of each gripper head guide (see Fig. 14) ,thereby forming a track which is a continuation of said face of each gripper head guide, and when the gripper heads are moved across the machine to transfer the cards 6 from the place where they are cut to the lower member of the assembling mechanism, the flat faces of the gripper heads travel along the flat faces of the bars 116 whereby the gripper heads are held against turning upon their axes. It will be understood that when the operating lever 80 is moved across the machine, from the position seen in Fig. 1, that the upright member: T8 of the gripper head carriers 78 are moved through the spaces betweenthe. up;

right members of the gripper head guides, thereby bringing the gripper heads into positions above the lower member of the as are being assembled, the slotted guide blocks 117- and .117 are inclined slightly, as: seen in Figs. 23 and 27, but durin the assembling of the article, the guide blocl s are moved into the upright position, seen in F igi 24, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. Y

The guide blocks are formed with downwardly projecting tail pieces 118 which are rockingly mounted in slides 119 and 119- that are capable of movement transversely of the machine and are slidably guided in the slots of a slotted guide member 120, which is preferably formed as 'a part of the table or platform 69. The tail pieces 118 are formed with trunnions or short shafts 121 that are j ournaled in bearings formed in the slides 119 and 119 to permit the rocking movement of the guide blocks 117 and 117. An operating strut 122 is interposed between the two tail pieces 118 in each slide and a coiled compression spring 123 is provided in a groove in the slotted guide member 120 between one of the tail pieces and an end of said groove. The purpose of this arrangement is to impart synchronous parallel movement to the two guide blocks 117 and 117' operated by each slide 119 and 119.

The means for moving the guides-119 and 119 in the direction to straighten up theguide blocks 117 and-117 comprises cam aces 124 formed upon the arms 78 of the gripper head carriers 7 8, which cam faces engage with upstanding lugs 125 and 125 formed on the slides 119 and 119. The cam faces 124 are arranged .to engage with the lugs 125 and 125 while the cards 6 are being inserted into the slots of the stri s a.

four rows being I The parts 78 (see Figs. 10 and 16) o the gripper head carrier arms 78, on which the cam faces 124 are formed, may have a limited amount of movement relative to the main parts of said arms 7 8 in a lengthwise direction to permit the straight faces of the parts 78 to hold the guide blocks 117 and 117 in upright position for a slight interval of time while the gripper heads are being raised to carry away the completed filler. The purpose of this is to insure the interlocking engagement between the webs a of the cards with the shoulders I) of the strips. The guide blocks being held upright for some time during the removal of the completed filler from them, the strips are permitted to remain upright after having been assembled, and, consequently, remain interlocked with the cards.

The sliding connection between the parts 78 and the remainder of the arms 7 8*;inay be provided by forming a lap joint between the two parts of each arm and connectin them by a screw 7 8 threaded in one part an entering a slot in the other. Guide bars 126 are placed behind the upright lugs 125 and 125, and the ends of the arms 7 8 containing the cam faces 124 pass down between said guide bars 126 and the upstanding lugs 125 and 125. When the arms 78 are raised out of contact with the lugs 125 and 125*, the coiled compression springs 123, which have been compressed by the movement of the slides 119 and 119 expand, thereby returning the slides to the normal position shown in Fig. 23 and again tilting the guide blocks.

Between the pairs of guide blocks 117 and 117* are upstanding lugs 127 which are supported from the slotted guide member 120 of the table 69, and said lugs 127 form stops or abutments for the upper ends of the guide blocks 117 and 117, whereby when the slides 119 and 119" are moved by the cam faces 124 to straighten up the guide blocks, the upper ends of the latter will encounter the stops or abutments 127 after which the continued movement ofthe slides acts to move the guide blocks from the inclined position, seen in Fig. 23, to the upright position seen in Fig. 24.

The slotted blocks 117 and 177 hold the upper edges of the notched strips in position to enter the tapering inlets to the slots 6 of the cards 6, (see Fig. 27) and as the cards are moved down across the strips, the inclined strips enter the notches 6' through said tapering ends of the notches, thereby freely passing by the shouldered portions 6 and entering the main parts of the notches. Because of the inclined position of the strips, there is no danger of bending or distorting the shouldered parts 6 of the notches b. However, as the cards are moved downward, the cam faces 124 of the arms 7 8 move the slides inward, thereby straightening up the guide blocks 117 and 117 and bringing the strips into upright position with the web portions of the strips by knives 128 and 128 which are mounted in guide blocks 129 for reciprocal movement therein in a vertical direction. Between the guide blocks 129 are slots or'channels 130 through which the notched strips A are fed to the slotted guide blocks 117 and 117?, and said knives 128 and 128 co-operate with the front edges of said blocks to shear the portions (1 of the strips formin the egg case filler from the remainder A of t e strips.

From the knives 128 and 128 extend shanks 131 which are connected by a cross connection 132 with an operating lever 133 (see Figs. 4 and 22) fulcrumed upon the framework of the machine and co-operating with a cam block-134 to reciprocate the knives 128 and 128 at the pro er time to sever the assembled portions a o the strips from the remainder thereof. Tension springs 135 (see Fig. 4) secured to the cross connection 132 and to some stationary portion of the framework serve to hold the knives in close contact with the co-operating shearing edges. The cams 91*, 101 and 134 are mounted upon the cam shaft 136 which is journaled in bearings carried by the framework of the machine, and said shaft may receive its motion from the cam shaft 53 through a shaft 137 having beveled pinions 138 and 139 (see Figs. 3 and 4) that mesh respectively with pinions 140 and 141 on the cam shafts 53 and 136. In the blocks 129 are the spring pressed dogs 129 which engage in notches in the strips A and I prevent accidental retrograde movement of said strips.

The mechanism for actuating the card transferring mechanism comprises the operating lever 80, as above explained, a cam 142 mounted on the cam shaft 61 and cams 143 and 144 mounted on the cam shaft 64. The operating lever 80 is pivotally mounted for oscillation in a horizontal plane and in vertical planes, the pivotal connection being shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where it will be seen that the lever is connected by means of a link 145 to a forked member 146 swiveled in an arm 147 of a bracket 148 supported by the uprights 34 of the press mechanism.

The cam 142 is formed with a circumferential cam groove 149 in which travels a roller 150 that is carried by the operating lever 80, and said cam groove is shaped to effect the oscillations of the operating lever 80 through a horizontal plane from the position occupied in Fig. 1 to a position over the lower member of the assembling mechanism. The shape of the cam groove is designed to permit the operating lever to remain at the end of its 

